Thank you for reading the CP daily devos. This week we are discovering the power of how knowing Jesus changes us, others, and the world in which we live. These devos are written weekly and designed to stir your spirit and help you to contemplate the truths we discuss on Sunday. Make our devos a part of your daily rhythm of loving Jesus, learning His ways, and leading others. Something to be aware of, as you read, is the title of each devo is found within the devo itself. Make sure to post them up or pass them along for others to read and enjoy.

It Begins to Dawn on Us

Read:

“. . . receive the word implanted, . . .” James 1:21

Reflect:

Using wrong motivations to coerce believers to pursue intimacy will get them to walk the aisle, but it won’t sustain long-term spiritual growth. Leveraging fear, force, and guilt trips seemingly produces quick results, but the fruit won’t remain. When caught in a cycle of trying to please God, even noble spiritual disciplines, such as prayer, bible study, and sharing Christ with others, result in legalism, pride, insecurity, and morbid introspection.

Christians will sometimes move more quickly if they are told God is angry at them, losing interest in them, or that they are going to fail miserably, losing everything they hold dear to them, if they don’t get busy performing and producing. The outcome of performance-based living is that sincere believers end up being damaged, discouraged, and burned out. They built their spiritual life on a faulty foundation.

Having the heart knowledge of God’s deep affection and full acceptance of you as His own beloved child, triggers healthy spiritual growth. Let your heart believe it! This resurrection life you have received is no cowering, fear-based, grave-tending life. It’s our heart responding to God in an extravagantly gracious, adventurously expectant, response of Abba Father. God’s Spirit touches our spirit and affirms who we really are – His child.

Being rooted and grounded in the strong, secure love of God causes the consistency we have spent so many hours striving for, but could never achieve on our own. God’s love motivates us towards spiritual passion and maturity we would otherwise be incapable of producing. As we begin to understand the Father’s affection and the price Jesus paid to redeem us, our hearts melt with devotion and thankfulness.

Living the intimacy purchased by Jesus, it begins to dawn on us that we are God’s children. We will take on His likeness by conforming to Christ. We will love the church. We will maintain honor for Him by avoiding the things He hates and pursuing what He loves. As we cultivate the resurrected life through intimacy with Jesus, we will be strengthened with power through His Spirit.